Maybe I want to be Lonely
by xxLittleChangeoftheHeart
Summary: The ice queen meets her match against a spunky little girl.
1. Chapter 1

It had been a long journey, even by airship. Weiss sat with her ankles crossed primly, watching the view. She was a picture of grace and frozen beauty. She was regal. She was fierce. She was ignoring the racket as best as she could.

"I can't sit still anymore!" Ruby complained, flopping onto the floor of the airship. "Are we there yet?"

"We've barely even made it as far as it would be to go home to Patch." Yang pointed out, a bit hypocritically. She had been tapping her foot constantly, and it had really been starting to get on Weiss' nerves.

Blake's black bow twitched as her cat ears moved towards the sudden sound of Ruby's impact on the hard floor. Ruby groaned. " _Exactly_. We aren't _going_ to Patch." She whined.

Yang couldn't help but nod. She glanced around at the group. "Yeah, what does it matter if there's a rising number of Grimm in some destroyed village on an empty island? Shouldn't we be protecting places where there are, you know, people to protect?"

Blake closed her book with a snap. Her yellow eyes narrowed. "Anywhere where there are Grimm is worth checking out." She said. Her voice contained a hint of a hiss.

Weiss couldn't take it anymore. She uncrossed her ankles and planted her boots on the cold floor, feeling a rant bubbling in her throat. "Yes. It could be a hideout. There could be survivors. It could be breeding giant Grimm that will fly over the mountain and gobble up super annoying girls who don't care about protecting _all_ of Vale. It isn't just the areas inside the kingdom that matter. It's our whole _continent_ and the whole world. Don't you care, Ruby? I thought you wanted to be a huntress. I thought-"

"We get it, we get it!" Groaned Yang. She flopped against the wall. Ruby banged her head onto the floor, where it looked like she would be for a while.

"Excellent. Now, let's have a nice remainder of our trip." Weiss smoothed her skirt and crossed her ankles again. She smiled as she looked out the window. "To our west, You can see a dense forest. It would be teeming with Grimm, but, being so close to Beacon, I'll bet it's been cleared recently. Same goes for that swamp that you can see to the east, Yang. Now, ahead, there is Condie Petie, village of fascinating lore and customs. I've always wanted to visit but Father said it was far too unsophisticated for even faunus to paw around in."

She paused, tilting her head. "That was a rude sort of thing for him to say, actually."

"Weiss, if I met your father in a dark alley…" Blake began.

"What?"

"Nothing." She said a bit more loudly, suddenly busy in her book again.

Weiss went back to her tour guide voice. "Now, past Condie Petie, there is a mountain range that separates an ancient tree from the rest of the continent. We are going to fly just east of the mountain and then we will be-"

"-at the wasteland teeming with Grimm. Hooray."

"Why are you all so whiney?" Weiss huffed. "It's a mission. It's been a while. And we don't even have to shadow a huntsmen!"

Weiss had been surprised, but pleased when Ozpin suggested that the girls take on this mission. Many of the other teams still needed an escort. She didn't want to be babysat. Her team was capable, mostly thanks to her skill and dedication. She frowned, mid-thought, and acquiesced that it was also due to Ruby's leadership, Yang's fiery decision-making (her fists), and Blake's watchful eyes and sharp ears.

"JNPR's mission seemed cooler." Ruby said, lifting her head and trying to sound sad. Weiss curled her lip in response.

"They get to go to the front lines!" Yang jumped off her bench, fired up. "They get to pound Grimm and investigate a _known_ enemy hideout!"

"Glynda is also there to hold their hands." Blake remarked. Weiss grinned at her. At least she had an ally.

"I doubt anyone is gonna hold Nora's hand." Ruby said.

"Except Ren." Yang quipped.

"Let's just make the best of this,okay?" Weiss said with a sigh.

Even Weiss was disappointed when she saw the village.

"This is _it_?" She cried, leaning against the window of the airship as it drifted around the ruins, the pilot searching for a place to land.

"Told ya." Yang muttered.

"This is an outrage! This mission is for kids!" Weiss stomped a heeled foot.

"Looks can be deceiving." Blake stood and approached the window, her ears pricked. "It looks innocent enough now, but those are vast ruins. She glanced over her shoulder. "Behind us, there is a forest too. We have no idea how long this place has been left unchecked, or what will happen after dark."

Even Ruby seemed heartened by this. She sprang to her feet. "There could be secret hideouts! There could be an ARMY OF GRIMM!" Her hands hovered near Crescent Rose.

Weiss glared at her, her hands on her hips. "Hey, didn't I say the same thing earlier?"

Ruby smiled at her, wide-eyed and fake innocent.

"Hey driver, land this thing!" Yang called out. She loaded her Ember Celica. "Let's get those Grimm!"

They scrambled to grab their equipment as the airship lost altitude and made contact with the bone-dry terrain. The girls stumbled a bit with the shock of the landing. Weiss immediately fluffed her skirt and tossed her hair before she reached for her equipment again. She was not so clumsy and unrefined as to fall from that small impact. She was…

"OW!" Ruby rubbed her butt as she was helped up by an expressionless Blake. "What a landing!"

Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Ladies," The pilot addressed them. "I'll be waiting here for your return. If you aren't back by nightfall tomorrow, I will have to call reinforcements."

"We'll be in touch!" Ruby called with a friendly wave.

Weiss slashed Myrtenaster through the empty air, rotating the dust to select ice. The dry island looked like any hint of fire would lead to disaster. "36 hours."

"Let's do this!" Yang hit her fists together.

"Madain Sari, here we come!"

The girls charged through the opening door, eager despite all previous whining. It had been quite a while since they had a mission.

The airship had docked a decent distance from the village, which sat on the coast of the island. It was slightly raised, or else Weiss was sure it would have fallen into the ocean by now. As they ran through the plains, she racked her brains, wondering why she had never heard of this village. She had studied Vale extensively before attending Beacon. She had studied not only the kingdom, but the entire continent. It seemed odd that she had never heard of it.

The girls were on alert as they leapt through the plains, Ruby taking the lead. The sun had risen an hour or so before and was climbing in the sky. Weiss glanced around, alert for Grimm. Blake's ears twitched.

They were all shocked when they reached the edge of the ruins with no sign of Grimm.

"Uh, this has been a quiet mission so far." Yang remarked, looking around with an eyebrow raised.

"So much for hordes of Grimm." Ruby's shoulders fell.

"They could still be inside." Blake drew her Gambol Shroud. "Be on guard."

Weiss looked at Ruby. "I could take the lead if you don't feel up to it." She said, a bit snarky.

"No way!" She straightened, and charged forward. The other three chased, with Yang laughing at her competitive little sister.

She came to a halt just inside the ruins. Piles of rubble twice as tall as them towered on either side. To their right, They resembled a building. To the left, they didn't resemble anything besides destruction. The air was still and full of dread, despite the bright sunlight and the nearby crash of waves.

Weiss shivered. "What in Remnant happened here?" She asked.

"You mean, our straight A student doesn't know something about history?" Yang asked, mocking.

Weiss' face flushed. She was about to defend herself when Blake cut her off.

"Actually, I haven't heard of it, either." She said. Weiss tucked a stray hair behind her ear, regaining her composure.

Ruby and Yang looked surprised that their well-read friend didn't know. A moment later, Ruby shuffled her feet, glancing around anxiously. "Does something feel… I dunno… _off_ here?" She asked.

The group nodded, tightening their grip on their weapons.

"Let's get this over with." Blake stepped forward. The group followed her lead, even Ruby falling behind. They trailed past the dusty brown bricks, piled haphazardly. Ruby tripped over several, muttering under her breath.

They stopped at a cracked fountain in an area that looked like it might have once been a nice courtyard. There were several narrow paths through the debris. The fountain was still running. Weiss' eyes narrowed.

"Is it just me," she began. "Or does it look like someone organized these paths?"

"They're not natural." Blake agreed, having seen many villages destroyed by Grimm.

"And the fountain is still running." Ruby observed. She stepped a bit closer and squinted. "The water looks clean."

"The question is, who moved these paths, and who is maintaining the fountain?"

They looked at each other, feeling more and more like this mission was about to get interesting.

"We'll attract less attention if we split up." Ruby said, authority back in her high voice. "Weiss, we're besties, so you'll go with me. Yang, Blake, you guys take the right path. If there's any trouble, contact us right away on your scroll."

Blake and Yang nodded and broke off from the group. Blake ran a tentative hand along some of the more secure rubble and leapt up, scanning the area ahead.

"We're not besties." Weiss muttered. Ruby pretended not to hear her as she investigated the fountain further. Suddenly, she reached in.

"Hey!" Weiss called. "That could be dangerous."

She stepped closer. Ruby was holding a shimmering coin.

"It's engraved." She said. "I can't read it."

"Probably because you don't study, Ruby. Illiteracy is no joke."

Ruby stared at her, eyes narrowed. "Weiss."

"Ruby."

There was a pause. The air was still and the heat was rising with the nearly midday sun.

"I meant, it looks like it's in another language."

Weiss turned away, rolling her eyes for show. She had actually enjoyed all of the group's banter today. It had broken the monotony of the trip. "Unless it grows teeth and starts attacking, I believe we have other things to worry about."

Ruby huffed, sticking the coin in her skirt pocket. Yang and Blake's footsteps had faded. "Fine, let's get moving."

"About time."

Ruby fell into step beside Weiss. They continued down the path, dust drifting up below their feet.

"I hope we don't find any people." Ruby said quietly. Weiss knew that she didn't mean live people. She meant bodies.

She glanced at her, determination in her eyes. "Whatever we find, we will be here to do whatever is right, even if that is to avenge."

Ruby nodded. Weiss' heels clicked on the cracked stone beneath their feet. It echoed a bit as they neared what appeared to be an opening in the debris. Their eyes squinted as they stepped out.

"I hear the ocean!" Ruby said, a bit loudly.

"Shh!" Hissed Weiss. The roar of the ocean was suddenly very loud, but something else had caught Weiss' attention. She had stuck her arm out in front of Ruby, who took a step back, reaching for Crescent Rose.

"What is it?" She whispered.

"Do you smell that?"

Ruby paused. Weiss' eyes darted around. Ruby's stomach growled loudly. "Uhh, it smells delicious."

"Ruby, I swear…" Weiss huffed, trailing off. "Is it normal to smell a delicious meal in the middle of abandoned ruins?"

"Um, maybe it's like a mirage? Except we smell it."

Ignoring her, Weiss stooped down and moved close to the edge of the bricks. At first, she thought she was just looking at more ruins. As she skirted the rounded edge, she saw a large, intact opening. She realized that the empty space she saw in the oddly curved stone was a window, and the opening was a large doorway.

"It's a house." Weiss said as Ruby crept up behind her, also stooping. "I have a feeling it isn't Grimm cooking us dinner."

"That would be so considerate." Ruby whispered.

"Well, leader? Are we going in?"

"Can you see in the window?"

Weiss slunk below the window and straightened, peering in. "I don't see anyone, but the smell if stronger in there. It looks like a really sad dining room."

"Let's go." Ruby and Weiss crept along the edge and stopped at the doorway. They nodded at each other, weapons at the ready.

Ruby peeked inside and waved Weiss in. The two slipped to the left side. There was a stone table in the center of the room. It was set for a meal, and nothing on it was dusty. There were shelves of ancient books lining the far wall. Ahead of the girls, farther to the left, there was another archway.

"The smell is coming from there." Ruby's voice had lowered even further. Weiss barely heard her. Weiss felt anticipation in her chest. She stepped closer, just behind Ruby. She started when she heard the click of a heel. Ruby's head snapped back at her and they both stared at each other with wide eyes.

"It wasn't _me_." Weiss hissed in a low tone. "I was being careful."

There was a clatter, and both girls jumped as the sound of heels clicked from the archway. They raised their weapons and took a fighting stance, unsure of what would come next.

"Who's there?" Came the high voice of what sounded like a little girl. Weiss raised an eyebrow at Ruby, who nodded. The two stepped out into the archway.

Against the backdrop of the ocean beyond the cliff stood a tiny girl. She was holding a flute, which Weiss immediately guessed was her weapon. She did not lower hers. Neither did the girl. The girl's hair was a strange shade of bluish purple. Her clothes were dusty and strange, and her green eyes were unearthly flames. Somehow, despite never having seen her before, Weiss felt that she was familiar.

"Who are you?" The girl demanded. Weiss felt a strange power from her. Her instincts were screaming to get away. "Why are you intruding in my home?"

"Home?" Ruby said, appalled. She looked at Weiss, whose eyes were glued to the girl. In her peripheral vision, Weiss could see a well kept kitchen. Her eyes trailed above for a split second, where there was no roof. It appeared to have been destroyed whenever the rest of the village had. Her eyes landed back on the girl as she took a step forward, acting very menacing consider her size and apparent solitude.

"I will not ask again." She said, and raised her flute to her lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Weiss looked on with disgust as Ruby, Yang, and even Blake tore into the meal covering the cramped table. There was barely enough room for the serving plates, and their dinner plates hung over the edge.

"This is the _best meal ever_." Ruby said forcefully through a mouthful of something that resembled a casserole. Blake was eating some baked fish, tearing into it like a wild animal.

"This is the best _mission_ ever!" Yang countered, slurping some stew. The three grunted their approval.

How did they get here? Weiss found herself wondering. One minute they had been being threatened by this pipsqueak, now they were eating dinner in her kitchen with the moonlight shining through the window and nothing else for light other than a few candles. It had been an astonishing afternoon.

She had been very thankful for Ruby's obnoxiously friendly and unconcerned nature when, at the moment the little girl was poised to attack, Ruby's stomach growled. She had loudly asked, "What is that amazing smell?!"

Taken aback, the little girl lowered her flute, and the foreboding presence Weiss had felt dissipated. "It's dinner." The little girl said, eyeing her strangely.

Ruby stowed her weapon and walked towards the stove like she was being pulled by an invisible force. "Can I have some?" She asked, peering eagerly into a large pot on the ancient stove.

"Ruby!" Weiss snapped. She was shocked at her behavior. She was turning her back on the enemy and dropping her guard over a pot of stew!

The little girl's lips slowly curved up and her teeth showed as she began to grin. It was an adorable face, although Weiss was absolutely certain she should continue to be careful. They knew nothing about this situation. "Geez, I'm not used to people breaking into my home to eat dinner with me. This is new." The little girl said. She glanced at Weiss, who was frozen in shock, before stepping closer to Ruby to check on her dinner. She added, "It won't be ready for hours still, and I don't think I have enough…"

"We aren't here for dinner, Ruby!" Weiss stomped her foot once and then went towards them. "We are here to exterminate Grimm and figure out what is drawing them to here!"

"Aw, but we gotta eat eventually…" Ruby muttered, kicking at the ground.

"Grimm?" The little girl had stepped back warily, but now she cocked her head to the side, thinking. "You mean those black monsters? There have been a lot lately. You're here to find out why?"

Weiss stopped, standing next to Ruby. "Yes." She said, full of authority. "You've seen the Grimm? Why haven't we seen any yet?"

The little girl laughed. "Oh, that's funny. _Seen_ them? I fight them every day!"

" _You_?" Weiss and Ruby asked in unison.

She nodded shyly.

Weiss was about to bombard her with questions when she heard a distant noise.

"Uh-oh." The little girl said.

"Yang and Blake!" Ruby cried, meeting Weiss' panicked glance before the two sprinted off, through the house and back the direction they had come. They were surprised when the little girl followed, yelling, "Wait!"

"It's our friends!" Ruby called back. "They could be in trouble!" She was gone in a flash of rose petals. Weiss strained to catch up, and the little girl disappeared behind them, unable to keep up.

Weiss followed the sound of bullets and faint battle cries through the rubble, passing the fountain and running down the path Blake and Yang had taken earlier. When the cramped path opened, her eyes widened at a huge, cracked dome ahead. It almost looked like it could be an arena. From the sound of it, even if that wasn't its original purpose, it was now.

She sprinted after the trail of rose petals, knowing Ruby was already there. She could hear Yang's battle cries as she stepped through the archway, Myrtenaster ready.

"I _knew_ there would be Grimm!" Weiss called, taking in the scene. Inside the dome, towering, timeworn paintings decorated the walls. At a quick glance, Weiss was sure that they depicted the battles against Grimm from the dawn of time. She had read about paintings like that, but the sheer size of these took her breath away. They seemed to touch the sky in the cramped space. Stone pillars were arranged in a circular fashion in the center of the dome, now being utilized as stepping stones in the battle raging inside. Limber beowolves were propelling themselves around the pillars, swooping towards Yang, who was standing on the ground, pummeling another beowolf.

"Now's not the time, Weiss!" Came Ruby's voice from above. Weiss looked up to see her slashing at a hooved, horned Grimm that she had never seen before. Its thick limbs and wide, toothy grin made it horrifying to behold. Weiss spun the dial on Myrtenaster and activated her semblance. Her team looked outnumbered, but she had a feeling they could turn the tables if she acted quickly. Her glyphs illuminated the ground around the various Grimm, including the three slashing at Blake. She escaped using her semblace, only to be attacked by the others as she retreated. A burst of ice froze the Grimm in their tracks, and Blake turned, her yellow eyes meeting Weiss' gratefully.

"Great timing!" She called. Weiss nodded, springing into action without wasting any more time. She went after one of the three Grimm that were after Blake, quickly cutting it through. Blake hacked at one of the others, and the gunshots from Weiss and Ruby as well as their battle cries rang through the ruins. Things were looking up until a shadow fell across Blake. One of the creatures of Grimm had broken out of the ice around its hooves. Its spear was poised to cut her through.

"BLAKE!" Ruby cried, springing, but a moment too late. At the same time, there was the high-pitched sound of a flute. There was a shimmer around Blake, and instantly the Grimm was engulfed in flames. Blake leapt back, eyes wide, as the Grimm howled and burnt to the ground in front of her. The screech of a bird echoed from the sky and the team all looked up, expecting more Grimm, to see a brilliantly colored bird. It hovered for a moment before dispersing into the air with the same shimmer that had covered Blake. As quickly as it happened, it was over.

"Blake!" Yang ran across the ground and Ruby leapt down to her side. She was staring at her hands, incredulous. Weiss joined them.

"Are you okay?" Yang asked.

"You were so close to the flames!" Ruby cried. "How are you not hurt?"

Weiss looked to the entrance of the dome, where the little girl was lowering her flute. She suddenly remembered the sound she had heard right before the Grimm burst into flames.

"It was you." Weiss said, half awestruck, half accusatory. The team looked up and followed her gaze, their mouths falling open as they realized what she meant.

"No way." Ruby said.

"How?" Yang asked.

The little girl bit her lip, looking worried. Weiss raised Myrtenaster and pointed it at her. "I demand that you tell us!" She hissed. She was tired of playing games with this little girl, and she was unsure of their safety. At least, that's what she told herself.

Blake shot her a look. "No." She snapped. She shook herself, straightening and walking towards the girl, who shrunk a bit. Blake bent down on one knee just in front of her. "You saved me." She said. "What's your name?"

The little girl blushed and clasped her hands behind her back. "It's Eiko." She said meekly.

Blake smiled and said, "Thank you, Eiko." Yang and Ruby, who had walked over as well, also said their words of gratitude. Ruby hugged her, and the girl looked shocked but happy.

After finishing introductions, during which Weiss stood in silent protest of the whole situation, Eiko invited the group back to her house for dinner.

"Since you helped take care of those Grimm." Eiko said. "And also, because your friend Ruby seems… _really_ hungry."

Now, the group was finishing their meal. As Yang leaned back, patting her full belly, she asked, "So, Eiko, how in the world did you light that Grimm on fire? Was that dust?"

"Dust?" Eiko cocked her head to the side. She hadn't eaten much herself, Weiss noticed. She wondered why. She looked like she could use a good meal. She could use a bath, too, for that matter. After thinking that, she frowned, knowing that Ruby would scold her for being mean.

"I've never heard of any dust other than what's all over the ground here in Madain Sari. Like, dirt." The group stopped eating and stared as Eiko continued, "I didn't make the fire. I just called Phoenix to help."

"Phoenix?" Blake asked, setting down her fish. "You mean that giant bird?"

Eiko nodded, and Ruby asked, "How do you _call_ something like that? I want to learn!"

Eiko smiled, straightening up as she said, "I don't think you can learn. You need to be born a summoner."

"A summoner?" Ruby and Yang asked in unison. They looked at Weiss.

Weiss' eyes narrowed. It was impossible for this girl to be a summoner. It was genetic. She had never heard of anyone else outside of her own family that could summon.

"Summoners have the ability to call on spirits to help us. I just need to play my flute, or pray, and they will come."

Blake leaned towards Weiss, quietly commenting, "Maybe it's like your semblance."

"Summoners can also use their horn to talk to animals and the summons." Eiko added, not hearing Blake.

The whole thing was preposterous. It was not a defeated foe that Eiko had "summoned." The beautiful bird had shimmered in bright colors, unlike any Grimm in existence. She wasn't like Weiss. She wasn't _summoning_.

Weiss stood up abruptly. "Look, this is all a nice fantasy, but it's time to get back to the reality of our mission." She turned, her heels clicking angrily as she exited Eiko's tiny stone hut. The candlelight faded as she walked out into the night. She stood on the edge of the cliff, where a thin, rickety railing blew in the wind. It didn't reach above her waist and looked as safe as the rest of the ruins. She crossed her arms and let out a huff, looking over the ocean. The stars glittered in a larger quantity than she had ever seen. The waves washed up against the cliff, far below, making a constant crash. It was so loud that it drowned out the sound of her leader's approach.

"What's wrong, Weiss?" Ruby's high voice jolted her from her thoughts. "You barely touched dinner."

"I just don't think now is the appropriate time for a picnic." Weiss said icily.

"We need to eat to stay strong for our mission. You know that." Ruby stepped next to her, following her gaze out to the ocean. She didn't say anything else, and after a moment, Weiss sighed deeply.

"I know." She admitted. "I just.. Don't know if I trust her."

"Eiko?" Ruby's silver eyes widened in surprise. "She's just a little girl, Weiss."

Weiss bristled. "That doesn't mean she isn't dangerous." She hissed. "We don't know anything about her. She's just a little girl alone in a destroyed village. How has she even survived here? It seems like a perfect trap."

Ruby's face fell. She turned, taking a few steps away before turning back to say, "Or, she's just a lonely little girl whose had a hard life, and could use some friends." Weiss said nothing, and Ruby's footsteps went back into the hut where Yang's loud, merry voice was mixed with the high giggling of a little girl.

Weiss stood out by the ocean, lost in thought, for a long time. As the night air chilled, she shivered and went back into the hut. Her team was no longer gathered around the table. The candles had been blown out, and the food put away. Weiss heard laughter from the outdoor area with the destroyed roof where they had first encountered Eiko. She followed it, finding her team seated at a dry, rotted wooden table overlooking the cliff.

"Weiss!" Yang called. "Come join us! We were telling Eiko about Beacon!"

"And she was telling us about how she survived out here for so long. It's incredible, really." Blake said. Weiss felt strange as she looked at Eiko's happy face. For some reason, the face of a little girl surrounded by friends _hurt_.

"I'm a bit tired." Weiss said, stopping a few steps from the table. She was just far enough away to make it clear that she was not going to sit down. "Perhaps we should get some rest before we finish securing the area tomorrow?"

"What do you mean?" Eiko asked.

"We're here on a mission to find out why there is a concentration of Grimm here." Ruby said in her leader- voice.

"And to wipe 'em out!" Yang called, punching her fist into the air.

Eiko looked impressed at first. "Wow…" She said. Her face faded into concern. "Wait… you're leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes." Blake said. "Our airship pilot will call our school for backup if we aren't back by nightfall tomorrow."

Eiko's green eyes looked sad, and Weiss' heart hurt again. She was starting to feel angry again.

"Oh…" Eiko said.

Yang stood up. "The ice queen is right. We _should_ get some rest."

Eiko hopped up. "I'll help you set up a spot!" She raced across the stone floor, pointing. "You guys can fit right here, here, here, and here. Let me go get my things." She skipped down the steps and turned the corner, disappearing into what Weiss assumed was a room below.

"She's been such a good hostess." Ruby said softly. Blake and Yang nodded. Weiss felt her lips spread thin.

After Eiko returned, the girls placed their sleeping bags and laid down to rest. Weiss was staring at the starry sky when Ruby whispered, "It's so peaceful here. I love the sound of the ocean."

"And the stars." Yang added. Blake hummed, "Mhmmm."

Eiko, lying in her bedding in the center of team RWBY's sleeping bags, was beaming. "Madain Sari is really beautiful." She said, stars in her eyes. "If my family was still here, I'd never want to leave."

There was a pause, before Ruby gently asked, "What happened here, Eiko?"

She went into the story of the destruction of her village after a hurricane three years ago. In the aftermath, Grimm were attracted to the negativity, and picked off her tribe until she was the only one who remained. She said it matter-of-factly, but Weiss could feel her sadness.

"That's tough." Yang rolled over to look at her with sympathy.

Weiss sat up, turning to face Eiko. "Why do you stay here?" She asked, a lot more forcefully than intended.

Ruby, Yang, and Blake looked startled by her tone, but Eiko smiled. Her tiny cheeks dimpled and her eyes crinkled at the corner, but her emerald eyes were endless pools of loneliness. Her voice came out in a whisper, almost drowned out by the waves.

"I never had anywhere else to go."

Weiss dropped her bookbag on the floor of her room at Beacon with a lot less decorum than she would've if the room hadn't been empty. She had just finished a grueling study session and exam. She was ready for a break and a nap before she finished her homework for tomorrow and turned in. She stretched, wondering where her teammates were.

She took a few steps towards her bed before her eyes were drawn to her study table, where her books were stacked. She stopped in her tracks. Her mouth fell open. Her homework, a lengthy paper for Dr. Port, was covered in black ink. "No!" She cried, snatching the paper up. She stared helplessly at the drawings of a child that covered her perfectly written assignment. She had only needed to write the ending.

She had instantly began to form the name "Ruby" on her lips before she heard a commotion outside the door. She watched the doorknob turn and her leader stepped in, laughing and patting a child on the head. Ruby looked up, seeing Weiss frozen, holding the paper.

"Oh hey, Weiss…" She started, friendly at first, before she saw the look on her face. She stopped in the doorway.

Weiss' eyes trailed down to the child. "I thought it was Ruby playing a really mean trick, but I had forgotten about _you_." She snarled. She held the paper forward, angled down towards Eiko's face. "Explain yourself!"

Ruby gulped. Eiko's face hardened, her little cheeks sinking into nearly expressionless defiance. "I drew a picture with the stick you left there." She said flatly.

"Stick?" Weiss's hands balled into fists around her paper. "It's a pen!"

"She has no idea, Weiss." Ruby said. "I don't think she's ever seen a pen and she definitely has no idea what homework is."

Weiss whirled on Ruby, ready to unload on her. She was interrupted by hysterical laughter in the doorway.

"Oh...my... _god_ , nice drawing, Weiss!" Yang guffawed. Behind her, team JNPR was peering in.

"Hey! I wanna draw! That needs some hearts on it!" Nora called.

"We need to finish our homework, Nora. There's no time for that." Ren said, dragging her back towards their room.

Eiko looked thoughtful. "You know, hearts would really make a difference. Give me that."

"It's my _homework_!" Weiss screeched. She was fed up with this little girl. She had no idea why she had allowed her team to bring this orphan back to Beacon. When they had packed up to leave Madain Sari, she had gone to see them off. Eiko stood, shuffling her feet. They said their goodbyes and Weiss had breathed a sigh of relief as they began the trek back to the ship. After only a moment, they heard a voice cry, "WAIT!"

She didn't want to be alone, she said. She had nothing left in Madain Sari, she said. Weiss stood silently as she begged them, ready to tell her sorry, they weren't old enough or had enough time to take care of her. Before she could speak, Yang had stepped forward. She knelt by Eiko, who was in tears.

Weiss kicked herself later. Of course, Yang had a maternal streak from caring for her little sister after her mom died. She couldn't argue as Yang wiped her tears and told her she could come along. Instead, she turned her back on them and marched towards the airship.


End file.
